Buzz Center Stage

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 12:03

Midsommer Flight to stage Shakespeare's comedy AS YOU LIKE IT free in six Chicago parks June 26 – August 2

For its 13^th free summer production, Midsommer Flight will present one of Shakespeare's most highly regarded and popular comedies. AS YOU LIKE IT, known for its witty dialogue, pastoral setting, and the strong female lead Rosalind, is one of Shakespeare's 10 most frequently produced plays. It takes some of Shakespeare's frequent tropes - intra-family conflicts, gender disguises, and lovers who must overcome obstacles in order to be together – and creates a lighthearted, romantic comedy that has been praised for its sophisticated banter. True to the comedy's famous line – "All the World's a Stage" – Midsommer Flight will again be creating natural stages in six Chicago parks over six summer weekends. The company will crisscross the city, with performances on the near south side (Chicago Women's Park and Gardens), farther south at Nichols Park in the Hyde Park neighborhood, the west side (Kelvyn Park), and the north side (Gross (Theodore) Park in Lincoln Square, Winnemac Park in Ravenswood, and Touhy Park in Rogers Park). Opening night is Friday, June 26 at 6 pm at Chicago Women's Park and Gardens, 1801 South Indiana Avenue in the South Loop (Near South Side).

Founding Artistic Director Beth Wolf (she/her/hers), named one of NEW CITY STAGE's 2026 "50 Players Who Really Perform for Chicago," announced her cast of 12 principals and six understudies today. Appearing as Rosalind, who like her father Duke Senior is banished from court by her uncle Duke Frederick, is Stephanie Mattos* (she/her). Barry Irving* (he/him) will play both Duke Frederick and Duke Senior. Orlando, who is attracted to Rosalind and flees to the Forest of Arden to escape a death threat from his brother, will be played by Thomas Russell (he/they). Orlando's brother, Oliver, will be played by Ian Voltaire Deanes (he/him). Ebby Offord* (she/they) will appear as Rosalind's loyal cousin Celia, who travels to the forest with Rosalind. Accompanying Rosalind and Celia to the forest is Touchstone, the Court Jester, to be played by Chase Wheaton-Werle. Jack Morsovillo* (he/him) will be Jaques, a melancholy and dramatic lord who camps with Duke Senior in the forest.

In the forest, the exiles meet the shepherds Silvius (Brandon Beach*, he/him) and Audrey (Jennifer Mohr, she/her). Silvius has unrequited love for the shepherdess Phebe (Triniti Cruz, she/her), who falls in love with Rosalind while Rosalind is disguised as a man. Meanwhile, Audrey is charmed by Touchstone.

Also in the principal cast are Connor O. Locklin (he/him) in multiple roles (Charles / First Lord in forest / MarText / Second Brother), and Riley Samuel Merritt (he/him) as Amiens and First Lord at court. The understudies are Alexander P. Garza (he/him, u/s Duke Frederick and Duke Senior), Jerome Michael Jones (he/him, u/s Orlando, Oliver), MJ Handsome (she/they, u/s Rosalind, Celia), Robert Wood Frank (he/him, u/s Silvius, Touchstone), Matt Keeley (he/him/his, u/s Charles / First Lord in forest / MarText / Second Brother, Jaques, Amiens), and Siyi Wang (she/her/hers, u/s Audrey, Phebe).

The AS YOU LIKE IT production team will include Rachel Sypniewski (she/her/hers, Costume Designer), Jeremiah Barr (he/him/his, Scenic/Props Designer), Jack Morsovillo* (he/him/his, Music Director), Will Wilhelm (they/them/theirs, Text Coach), Bryson David Hoff (he/him/his, Vocal Coach), Courtney Abbott (they/them/theirs, Intimacy Director), Thomas Russell (he/they, Fight Director), Becca Holloway (she/her/hers, Casting Director), Hailey Piorek (she/her/hers, Stage Manager), Chloe Steuber (she/her/hers, Assistant Stage Manager), and Joshua Pennington* (he/they, Assistant Director).

*Indicates Midsommer Flight Artistic Ensemble member

Midsommer Flight's productions are performed in natural sunlight and without amplified sound, much as they were done in the Bard's day. Midsommer Flight has become one of Chicago's best-loved and most highly regarded producers of free summer Shakespeare. THIRD COAST REVIEW's Nancy Bishop, in her 3-1/2-star review of 2024's ROMEO AND JULIET summed it up by writing, "Is there anything as lovely as theater in the park on a warm summer evening?" Tristan Bruns of NEW CITY said in his review of 2025's LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, " ...the sun had died down and a light breeze cut the humidity. Monarch butterflies tumbled through the air and rested on laps. Midsommer's ebullient take on Shakespeare matched the surroundings perfectly...This is the Shakespeare I want to see on a cool summer evening, sitting in a folding chair and sipping a LaCroix beside a butterfly companion."

LISTING INFORMATION

AS YOU LIKE IT
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Producing Artistic Director Beth Wolf
June 26 - August 2, 2026
Fridays, Saturdays*, and Sundays at 6 pm, Thursday, July 2 at 6 pm
*No performance Saturday, July 4
Admission is free (donations gladly accepted)
Opening night – Friday, June 26, 6 pm in Chicago Women's Park and Garden, 1801 S. Indiana Ave, 60614

Performed in six different Chicago Park District parks

June 26, 27, 28 at Chicago Women's Park and Garden, 1801 S. Indiana Avenue, 60616
July 2, 3, 5 at Gross (Theodore) Park, 2708 W Lawrence Avenue, 60625
July 10, 11, 12 at Nichols Park, 1355 E 53rd Street, 60615
July 17, 18, 19 at Kelvyn Park, 4438 W Wrightwood, 60639
July 24, 25, 26 at Winnemac Park, 5100 N Leavitt, 60625
July 31, August 1, 2 at Touhy Park, 7348 N Paulina Avenue, 60626

AS YOU LIKE IT is a vibrant Shakespearean comedy that wittily explores love and gender roles. Banished from court by her uncle, Rosalind escapes to the Forest of Arden, where she disguises herself as man in order to win over her lover by trying to convince him he should forget her. The play examines various types of love—from passionate to superficial to mature—offering a nuanced look at romantic relationships and human connection and playfully exploring the fluidity of gender roles. Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming. Seating is first-come, first-served, and audience members can bring their own blankets or chairs.

Free Reservations are encouraged but not required. Those with reservations will be contacted in the event of weather cancellations or other last-minute updates. Reservations will be available through the Midsommer Flight website at www.midsommerflight.com beginning on June 1. Show information on website at www.midsommerflight.com, including detailed schedule and info about directions and parking at each park.

ABOUT MIDSOMMER FLIGHT. Midsommer Flight is a theatre company dedicated to presenting high quality, accessible productions of Shakespeare's plays in Chicago communities. After the company's well-received inaugural production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM in 2012, the Chicago City Council honored Midsommer Flight with a resolution praising "the Midsommer Flight theater troupe on their dedication to bringing the arts to underserved communities." The company incorporated as a not-for-profit in the state of Illinois in early 2013 and has produced ROMEO AND JULIET (2013, 2024), MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2014), MACBETH (2015), TWELFTH NIGHT (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) AS YOU LIKE IT (2016), HAMLET (2017), THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (2018), THE TEMPEST (2019), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2012 AND 2022), CYMBELINE (2023), and LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST (2025). The company was nominated in 2019 for the third time for the League of Chicago Theatres "Emerging Theatre Award."

Midsommer Flight is committed to presenting financially accessible theatre. Productions are 100% free to the public (donations gratefully accepted). Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming. For more information visit www.midsommerflight.com.

ABOUT NIGHT OUT IN THE PARKS

AS YOU LIKE IT is presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks series, supported by the Mayor's Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. The Night Out in the Parks program presents cultural events year-round in neighborhood parks throughout the city. The Chicago Park District in partnership with local artists and organizations, presents engaging events and performances that enhance quality of life across Chicago and amplify the artistic and cultural vibrancy in every neighborhood. Through multiple disciplines, which include theater, music, movies, dance, site-specific work, nature programs, and community festivals, the series aims to support Chicago-based artists, facilitate community-based partnerships and programs, cultivate civic engagement, and ensure equity in access to the arts for all Chicagoans. For more information, please visit www.nightoutintheparks.com.

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Wednesday, 20 May 2026 12:46

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces As Long As You're Asking: A Conversation with Jason Alexander

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the return of Jason Alexander for a special event, As Long As You're Asking: A Conversation with Jason Alexander. In this evening of comedy, musical performance, and conversation with the Emmy and Tony Award-winning star of stage and screen, the audience determines what they want to know the most. Alexander presents a variety of topics for the audience to pick and choose, culminating in behind-the-scenes stories of his life, career, and social activism. Or ask about anything you've always wanted to know and see if he can answer. It's all on the table and the conversation is completely in your control—making for a once-in-a-lifetime evening, June 25 & 26 only in The Yard.

About Jason Alexander

Though best known for his award-winning, nine-year stint as the now iconic George Costanza of television's Seinfeld, Jason Alexander has achieved international recognition for a career noted for its extraordinary diversity. Aside from his performances on stage, screen, and television, he has worked extensively as a writer, composer, director, producer, and acting teacher. In between all that he has also become an award-winning magician, a notorious poker player and a respected advocate on social and political issues. For his depiction of George on Seinfeld, Jason garnered six Emmy nominations, four Golden Globe nominations, an American Television Award, and two American Comedy Awards. He won two Screen Actor Guild Awards as the best actor in a television comedy despite playing a supporting role, and he was honored to receive the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Actors Fund in 2012.

Aside from Seinfeld, Jason has starred and guested in such shows as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Mad About You, The Grinder, Drunk History, Friends, Two and a Half Men, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Criminal Minds, Monk, Franklin and Bash, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bob Patterson, Listen Up, Hit the Road, Orville and Young Sheldon. He also starred in the television films of Bye Bye Birdie, Cinderella, A Christmas Carol and The Man Who Saved Xmas. Additionally, his voice has been heard most notably in Duckman, The Cleveland Show, American Dad, Tom and Jerry and Kody Kapow. He can also be heard in the animated series Harley Quinn. His many films include Electric State, Pretty Woman, Jacob's Ladder, Love Valor Compassion, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Dunston Checks In, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Shallow Hal. In addition, he directed the feature films For Better or Worse and Just Looking. He is also a distinguished television director, overseeing episodes of Seinfeld, Everybody Hates Chris, Mike and Molly, Criminal Minds, Franklin and Bash and Young Sheldon. He won the American Country Music Award for his direction of Brad Paisley's video "Cooler Online."

While still in college, Alexander's desire to work as a stage actor in New York came to be with his debut in the original Broadway cast of the Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along. He continued starring on Broadway in the original casts of Kander and Ebb's The Rink, Neil Simon's Broadway Bound, Rupert Holmes' Accomplice and his Tony Award-winning performance in Jerome Robbins' Broadway. He also authored the libretto for that show, which went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. After moving to LA, Jason continued working in the theater, notably serving as the artistic director for the Reprise Theatre Company and for the hit West Coast production of Mel Brooks' The Producers, in which he starred alongside Martin Short. Alexander returned to Broadway to star in the Larry David comedy Fish in the Dark at the Cort Theater and in John Patrick Shanley's The Portuguese Kid at Manhattan Theatre Club. He also starred in the world premiere of Rob Ulin's Judgment Day at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

He also helmed a number of stage productions including: The God of Hell at the Geffen Playhouse; Broadway Bound at the Odyssey; an updated revival of Damn Yankees and The Fantasticks, as well as Sunday in the Park with George for Reprise; the world premiere of Windfall by Scooter Pietsch for the Arkansas Repertory Theater; Native Gardens at the Pasadena Playhouse; The Joy Wheel at The Ruskin Group Theatre; If I Forget at the Fountain Theater; and The Last Five Years at Syracuse Stage. He directed Sandy Rustin's The Cottage on Boradway in 2023 and is set to direct the film version in 2026. Earlier this year, Alexander directed an exciting, newly conceived production of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd for La Mirada Theatre, along with the world premiere of Scooter Pietsch's new play Fault at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Alexander also hosts a weekly podcast, Really No Really, with Peter Tilden.

More information at chicagoshakes.com/jason-alexander or on social media at @chicagoshakes.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2026 15:27

Chicago Magic Lounge welcomes back fan favorite Ondřej Pšenička for a limited run this summer

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago's home for close-up magic, announces the return of world-renowned magician Ondřej Pšenička in a limited run of his hit show 52 Lovers, directed by Stepan Gajdos. Spend an evening with one of magic's most inventive contemporary voices in 52 Lovers, an intimate performance presented up close in Chicago Magic Lounge's Harry Blackstone Cabaret theater. Quirky, disarming, and brilliantly original, Pšenička blends offbeat humor with world-class sleight of hand in a style entirely his own.

52 Lovers plays Wednesdays at 7:00pm, July 1 – August 26, 2026. Tickets are priced $44 (Standard) and $50 (Front Row), plus applicable fees. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

A true innovator, Ondřej combines original creations with expertly curated effects, delivered with a playful unpredictability that keeps audiences leaning in. With a subtle current of absurdism throughout, 52 Lovers is sharp, surprising, and delightfully off-center—showcasing expert technique with an effortless touch that makes the impossible look easy.

Each evening begins with close-up magic performed right at your table by Chicago Magic Lounge's talented house magicians. Between visits, guests can socialize, enjoy craft cocktails and small plates, and take in the vintage ambiance of the Harry Blackstone Cabaret.

About Ondřej Pšenička (pronounced ON-dray psheh-NEETCH-kuh)
Ondřej Pšenička is a world-renowned magician celebrated for his inventive approach to card magic and close-up performance. Hailing from the Czech Republic, he has performed on stages across the globe and is a regular at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. Known for his quirky humor, subtle surrealism, and technical mastery, Pšenička has baffled audiences worldwide, most notably fooling Penn & Teller three times on Penn & Teller: Fool Us. His creations blend originality, precision, and playfulness, making every performance unforgettable.

Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

The Close-Up Show
Mondays at 7:00pm
Tickets: General Admission $35 - $37

The Showcase
Tuesdays at 7:00pm
Tickets: Standard: $37.50 - $39; Front Row: $42 - $44

The Signature Show
Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 10pm
Tickets: Front Row $89.50 - $103, Premium Main Floor (main floor banquette and main floor cabaret) $76.00 – $95.00, Standard (rail and elevated banquette) $68.50 - $84, Mezzanine $55.00 – $68.00

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed evening shows with a legal guardian.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2026 15:19

Porchlight's FREE Summer Concert Series Returns - BROADWAY IN YOUR BACKYARD

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the return of its free summer concert series Broadway in your Backyard, July 6 - September 19, sponsored by Chicago Free For All Fund. Broadway in your Backyard is directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber, music directed by Linda Madonia and starring Tafadzwa Diener, Nik Kmiecik, Juwon Tyrel Perry and Bethany Thomas. For more information go to PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.

Now in its sixth year, this free to the public summer series has become one of Porchlight’s most popular offerings with thousands of people enjoying Porchlight favorite artists performing hits and beloved songs from the Broadway and Hollywood musical song books including Hello, Dolly!, Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Toy Story, The Wiz and others.

The 2026 Broadway in your Backyard season is

Monday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m.

Northcenter Town Square, 4100 N. Damen Ave.

This appearance also includes a performance from students of The Chicago Academy for the Arts.

Tuesday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.

This appearance also includes a performance from students of The Chicago Academy for the Arts. Additionally, audiences may join Porchlight’s Education as they host a “Kids’ Day” at Welles Park with activities and treats for children, while supplies last.

Monday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Berger Park,Waterfront Cafe, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd.

This appearance also includes a performance from PMTeens, Porchlight’s teen performers enrolled in its summer education programming.

Tuesday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Washington Square Park, 901 N. Clark St.

This appearance also includes a performance from PMTeens, Porchlight’s teen performers enrolled in its summer education programming and Porchlight Young Professionals Associate Board hosting a “Picnic With PYP” at the performance. “Picnic With PYP,” additional details to be announced.

Navy Pier, STAGE TBD, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

Porchlight Music Theatre presents its popular Broadway in your Backyard program of family-friendly showtunes as it joins more than 110 artists and organizations for Navy Pier’s the annual celebration of Chicago’s vibrant arts and cultural community.

Performance dates and venues are subject to change.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, in its 31st season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”

Porchlight's history over three decades includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres.

Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form.

The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 50 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022).

Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2026 15:15

Ian Frank named Shattered Globe Theatre’s new Producing Artistic Director

Chicago’s Shattered Globe Theatre announced today that Ian Frank has been selected, following a national search, to be the company’s new Producing Artistic Director.

Frank comes to Shattered Globe from Mudlark Theater in Evanston, where he has been the Executive Director since 2023.

“On behalf of the Shattered Globe Theatre Board of Directors and Ensemble, I am delighted to welcome Ian back to the ‘rehearsal room’ after honing his administrative skills over the past few years,” said Sara Mushlitz, Shattered Globe Board President and Search Committee Chair. “Ian has a profound respect for Shattered Globe’s history, its storefront performance landscape and most of all a commitment to Ensemble-led theater and the Shattered Globe community that has thrived as an Ensemble for 35 years. With a strong artistic voice and experience in Chicago theater, a collaborative perspective and a passion to create meaningful work, Ian will help steward Shattered Globe into its next chapter.”

“From a large pool of highly qualified candidates enthusiastic to contribute to this new chapter of Shattered Globe, Ian Frank rose to the top,” added Shattered Globe Ensemble Member Leslie Ann Sheppard. “We are excited to have him join the team and legacy of SGT."

"I’m deeply honored to be entrusted with Shattered Globe’s remarkable legacy, embodied by Sandy Shinner’s leadership and the commitment to uplifting the art by uplifting the artists who make it,” said Frank.

Frank is an award-winning stage director, adapter, and arts leader. Frank directed Frankenstein (Jeff Awards — Best Production, Best Director) for Remy Bumppo Theatre where he helped produce more than 15 mainstage productions as the Associate Artistic Director from 2015-2021. Other Chicago directing credits include Private Lives (Raven Theatre), Incident at Vichy (Jeff Nomination - Best Ensemble), Another Bone and Shipwrecked! (Redtwist), and Bob: A Life in Five Acts (LiveWire). Regionally, Frank directed Remix 38 at the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville where he has a long history of collaboration, starting as an Acting Apprentice in 2004. His work has also taken him to Milwaukee Rep, The Kennedy Center, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Frank holds an MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University and has returned to direct several times. He has also directed at his undergraduate alma mater, Centre College, and at the University of South Carolina. His adaptation of The Call of the Wild was produced at the University of Montana in 2022. Frank has extensive experience on both the artistic and producing side of theater, including working in the Chicago office of Actors’ Equity Association. He came to Chicago in 2008, and now lives in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood with his wife, actor Emily Tate, their son, Baxter, and their dog, Alba.

Frank’s predecessor, Chicago theater veteran Sandy Shinner, announced she was stepping down after 13 years serving as Shattered Globe’s first-ever Producing Artistic Director. Shinner will remain a Shattered Globe Ensemble Member and looks forward to continuing working with SGT as a director and advisor on future projects.

"Collaborating with the multi-talented SGT Ensemble has been a highlight of my career,” said Shinner. “I’m extremely proud of everything we have accomplished together, including creating nearly 30 memorable productions, increasing salaries for artists, building a staff and relationships with new playwrights, directors, actors and designers, growing our unique Protégé training program, and launching SGT’s new play development program, our Global Playwrights Series.”

Currently, Shattered Globe is presenting its 35th season finale, Eelpout!, a world premiere comedy by Paul W. Kruse, directed by Jeremy Ohringer. When best friends Sven and Ole come together to celebrate at an ice-fishing bachelor party on a frozen lake in Minnesota, an unexpected confession hooks into deeper truths, along with a talking fish. Performances run through May 30 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Tickets are $20-$60. For tickets and information, visit sgtheatre.org.

About Shattered Globe Theatre

Shattered Globe Theatre seeks to redefine what it means to be an ensemble theatre, discover new connections between story, artist and audience, and explore drama from bold, challenging perspectives.

Shattered Globe Theatre was born in a storefront space on Halsted Street in 1991. Since then, SGT has produced more than 80 plays, including nine American and world premieres, and garnered an impressive 53 Jeff Awards and 132 Jeff Award nominations, as well as the acclaim of critics and audiences alike.

Guided by Producing Artistic Director Sandy Shinner since 2013, Shattered Globe’s values are rooted in a commitment to racial equity, respect for all artists and support for the ensemble, while creating new opportunities to amplify traditionally marginalized voices and collaborate in all aspects of its work. Through initiatives such as the Protégé Program, Shattered Globe creates a space which allows emerging artists to grow and share in the ensemble experience.

Shattered Globe Theatre’s Ensemble includes Judy Anderson, Louis Contey, David Dastmalchian, Demetra Dee, Ellie Fey, Joe Forbrich, Christina Gorman, Daria Harper, Kotryna Hilko, Tina M. Jach, Rebecca Jordan, Steve Kleinedler, Vivian Knouse, AmBer Montgomery, Tina Muñoz Pandya, Eileen Niccolai, Jazzma Pryor, Deanna Reed-Foster, Linda Reiter, Jeff Rodriguez, Drew Schad, Adam Schulmerich, Leslie Ann Sheppard, Sandy Shinner, Joe Sikora, Shelley Strasser, Devonte E. Washington, Sarah Jo White, Joseph Wiens and Brad Woodard.

SGT’s Artistic Associates includes Daniela Colucci, Elliot Esquivel, Mikey Gray, Lawrence Grimm, Ronald Hale, Darren Jones, Christopher Kriz, Jason Lynch, Elizabeth Margolius, Kelsey Melvin, Lydia Moss, Tim Newell, Jane Nix, Winter Olamina, Aila Peck, Steve Peebles, Cage Sebastian Pierre, David Antonio Reed, Jasmine Cheri Rush, Angie Shriner, Abbey Smith, Becca Smith, Hershey Suri, Michael Trudeau and Ayanna Wimberley.

SGT is supported in part by generous grants from the Shulman-Rochambeau Charitable Foundation, Brenda and James Grusecki, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Carol P. Eastin, The Shubert Foundation, Judith and David Sensibar, the Illinois Arts Council, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and Americans for the Arts.

Visit SGTheatre.org for subscriptions, tickets and information, and follow the company @shatteredglobe on Facebook and Instagram.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2026 15:09

OPERA FESTIVAL OF CHICAGO PRESENTS VERY VERISMO! JUNE 13 AT THE JARVIS OPERA HALL

Opera Festival of Chicago opens its 2026 festival season with Very Verismo!, that includes a VIP reception and a captivating concert celebrating the richness and beauty of Italian opera through works by leading verismo composers. The concert takes place Saturday, June 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jarvis Opera Hall in the Holtschneider Performance Center at DePaul University School of Music, 800 W. Belden Ave. Single tickets are $150. VIP tickets are $250 and include an exclusive pre-show reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., drinks and hors d’oeuvres, access to a silent auction and opportunities to meet festival artists. Tickets are $25 – $91 for the two mainstage productions in Opera Festival of Chicago and information are available at OperaFestivalChicago.org.

This special concert features headlining artists from the 2026 Opera Festival of Chicago season, an organization devoted to presenting world-class productions of rarely performed Italian opera masterworks while fostering a vibrant and accessible operatic culture in Chicago. The evening features music by renowned verismo composers including Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Giordano, performed by an exceptional lineup of artists.

Soprano Alexandra Razskazoff, a Grand Finals winner of the 2022 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, has been praised by The New York Times as a “richly faceted, slinky soprano” and by Opera News for a voice that is “rich, distinctive of timbre, penetrating, and possessing a lovely bloom on top.” She is joined by dramatic soprano Zhanna Alkhazova, heralded by Opera News for her “bright, sword-flashing sound”; tenor Nathan Granner, acclaimed for his “marvelous intensity” (Gramophone) and described as “a stirring tenor of equal parts metal and warmth” (Opera News) and baritone Franco Pomponi, praised by the Chicago Tribune as “the real article, a baritone with a warm focused tone and a genuine feel for true Italian legato singing.”

The Opera Festival of Chicago 2026 will also present two Mainstage productions:

La Bohème (New Production) by Giacomo Puccini

Friday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 5 at 2 p.m.

George Van Dusen Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie

Directed by Sasha Gerritson

Conducted by Emanuele Andrizzi

La Bohème tells the story of young artists navigating love, friendship and poverty in 1830s Paris. The production stars Alexandra Razskazoff (Mimì), Nathan Granner (Rodolfo), Joe Lodato (Marcello), Catherine Antonia Samartin (Musetta), Jonathan Wilson (Schaunard), Anthony Reed (Colline) & William Powers (Benoit & Alcindoro).

Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever written, La Bohème follows a group of young artists struggling to survive in 1830s Paris. At its center is the poetic love story between Rodolfo and Mimì, unfolding against themes of poverty, friendship and the fleeting nature of life. Puccini’s unforgettable score captures universal emotions of joy, loss and heartbreak.

Adriana Lecouvreur (New Production) by Francesco Cilea

Sunday, June 28 at 2 p.m. and Friday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m.

George Van Dusen Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie

Directed by Shifra Werch

Conducted by Emanuele Andrizzi

Adriana Lecouvreur is a verismo masterpiece exploring love and rivalry within the world of the 18th-century Comédie-Française. Set at the Comédie-Française, the opera follows the celebrated actress Adriana Lecouvreur as she becomes entangled in a tragic love triangle with a noble soldier and a vengeful princess. The cast includes Zhanna Alkhazova (Adriana), Jeremy Brauner (Maurizio), Franco Pomponi (Michonnet), Viktoria Vizin (Principessa di Bouillon), Chris Filipowicz (Principe di Bouillon) and David Cangelosi (L’Abate di Chazeuil). The opera has not been staged in Chicago in more than 70 years, when legendary soprano Renata Tebaldi sang the title role.

Both mainstage productions, La Bohème and Adriana Lecouvreur, feature the Opera Festival of Chicago Orchestra and Chorus.

Cast and creative teams are subject to change.

ABOUT OPERA FESTIVAL OF CHICAGO

The Opera Festival of Chicago is dedicated to presenting world-class productions of rarely performed Italian opera masterworks while cultivating a vibrant and accessible operatic culture in Chicago. By celebrating Italy’s rich artistic heritage and nurturing the next generation of performers, the Festival aspires to become America’s leading hub for Italian opera, bringing exceptional artistry, cultural depth and homegrown talent to the forefront of the city’s cultural landscape.

Opera Festival of Chicago performances have been broadcast on WFMT, WETA, and other classical radio stations across the United States and internationally. The company has received critical recognition from local and national media, including Opera News and Chicago Classical Review. Its production of Il prigioniero by Luigi Dallapiccola was selected by the Chicago Tribune as one of the city’s best opera productions of the year.

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Monday, 18 May 2026 16:12

AstonRep Productions to stage US Premiere of Liisa Repo-Martell's new adaptation of Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA, June 18 – July 5 at the Edge Off-Broadway Theatre

Back row L-R: Mike Rogalski, Rian Jairell. Natalię Hurdle, Robert Tobin, Andi Muriel, Geoff Isaac. Front row L-R: Liz Cloud, Mary Mikva.

AstonRep Productions, the theatre and film production company that has produced over 30 stage productions in Chicago, has announced it will be the first company in the US to bring Liisa Repo-Martell's adaptation of Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA to audiences. Repo-Martell's script, which was first produced by Toronto's Crow's Theatre in 2022, has been praised for its contemporary and colloquial language. The Toronto online arts magazine INTERMISSION said, "it is delicate and wholly faithful to Chekhov's story... relatable and even startlingly contemporary, affirming the timelessness of the themes Chekhov explored in his writing." The Crow's Theatre production was remounted in 2024 at Toronto's CAA Theatre and was named one of the top ten productions of the year by both THE GLOBE AND MAIL and THE TORONTO STAR. AstonRep's production will be directed by Derek Bertelsen, who recently helmed the revival of the hit comedy FULLY COMMITTED at The Den Theatre and has directed many of AstonRep's productions. Bertelsen was co-founder/artistic director of The Comrades theater company from 2016-2020. UNCLE VANYA will open to the press on June 19 at 7:30 pm, following a preview on June 18, and play through July 5, 2026, at the Edge Off-Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave., Chicago.

Bertelsen's cast will feature Rian Jairell in the title role of Vanya – a bitter and broken man who wonders what he might have done with his life if he had not committed to managing the family estate. Jairell's previous roles with AstonRep include Ariel in THE PILLOWMAN and Jerry in BETRAYAL. The beautiful Helena, who captivates all the characters, will be played by Andi Muriel, seen recently in THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS for Redtwist Theatre and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST for Strawdog Theatre. Robert Tobin, who was Founder and Artistic Director of AstonRep Theatre Company, will be Astrov, a neighbor and overworked country doctor who feels ruined by provincial life. Tobin's recent credits include ARMS AND THE MAN for Forest Theatre Company and THE PILLOWMAN with AstonRep. Another PILLOWMAN castmate, Natalie Hurdle, will play Sonya, who has loyally steadfastly worked to maintain the estate, and is deeply attracted to Dr. Astrov.

Cast as Vanya's mother Maria is Mary Mikva (of TIME IS A COLOR AND THE COLOR IS BLUE for Avalanche Theatre). Geoff Issac, seen recently in MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS for Deerfield Theatre, will be the pompous and egotistical failed scholar Serebryakov. Liz Cloud (of AstonRep's BURIED CHILD) will be the nurse Marina, and Mike Rogalski (ELEKTRA – Forest Theatre Company) will play Telegin, an impoverished landowner who works on the estate.

The UNCLE VANYA production team will include Jeremiah Barr (set, lighting and properties design), Natalie Shoch (costume design), Samantha Barr (lighting design), Melanie Thompson (sound design), Bethany Hart (assistant director and vocal coach), and Nevaeh Mansur (Stage Manager).

Tickets to UNCLE VANYA are $25.00 and will be on sale beginning April 25 at www.astonrep.com or by phone at or (312) 620-4583.

UNCLE VANYA
by Anton Chekhov
US Premiere of the new adaptation by Liisa Repo-Martell
Directed by Derek Bertelsen
June 18 – July 5, 2025
Regular run Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 3pm
Edge Off-Broadway
1133 W Catalpa Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
Tickets- $25, available beginning April 25 at www.astonrep.com or (312) 620-4583

At a remote country estate in the final days of Czarist Russia, Vanya and his niece Sonya have spent years sacrificing everything to keep the family farm afloat. Their quiet routine is shattered when Sonya's aging father returns with his much younger wife, stirring up long-buried desires, resentments, and regrets. As tensions rise and futures feel increasingly uncertain, the family is forced to confront the lives they've lived—and the ones they never will. This new adaptation by Liisa Repo-Martell provides an up-close encounter with a classic of world drama that every theatre lover must see.

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Monday, 18 May 2026 16:40

Couch Penny Ensemble presents An Oak Tree by Tim Crouch, running June 19-July 5 at the Greenhouse Theater Center

Two actors.
One has rehearsed the play.
The other has neither seen nor read it.

A different performer joins the show each night. The play is as new to them as it is to you. The result is unpredictable and ephemeral. An Oak Tree is a meditation on identity, loss, and a reminder that theatre exists only in the moment it’s shared.

We're especially excited about this production and the spontaneity it offers - no two performances will unfold the same. We've ensured that each guest performer knows absolutely nothing about the play's narrative or characters before their performance. They discover the play in real time, at the same moment that the audience does.

For this production, we've partnered up with a new theatre company, Theatre Arcana, to produce the show. The show features Theatre Arcana's artistic director, Riles August Holiday, as our main actor, and many members of their ensemble will appear as guest performers throughout the run.

Here is a breakdown of our performance schedule, including which guest actors will be performing in each show:

Fri, June 19, 7:30PM: RENZO VICENTE
Sat, June 20, 2:30PM: AUDREY ROMERO
Sat, June 20, 7:30PM: SUZY KRUECKEBERG
Sun, June 21, 2:30PM: CAITLIN FRAZIER

Thurs, June 25, 7:30PM: HANNAH LOESSBERG
Fri, June 26, 7:30PM: CAMERON BROWN
Sat, June 27, 2:30PM: ALEX ALBRECHT
Sat, June 27, 7:30PM: ZIARE PAUL-EMILE
Sun, June 28, 2:30PM: BRADY MAGRUDER

Thurs, July 2, 7:30PM: FABIAN GUERRERO
Friday, July 3, 7:30PM: GRACE TAYLOR
Sun, July 5, 2:30PM: JIM IORIO

The show runs 70 minutes with no intermission.

You can find out more about the production at our website.

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Friday, 15 May 2026 12:34

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces 40th Anniversary Season

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes announce today the company's 40th Anniversary Season. America's leading Shakespeare Theater curates a season rooted in Shakespeare and Chicago with a complement of world-class contemporary work—emblematic of the Theater's global, yet unmistakably Chicago perspective. Celebrating four decades of vivid and entertaining performances that captivate minds, spark conversation, and invite new perspectives, CST now embarks on the Theater's next thrilling chapter.

The 2026/27 Season begins with Play On!, a joyful musical inspired by Shakespeare's Twelfth Night set to the songs of Duke Ellington, directed by Sheldon Epps. Next is an unforgettable theatrical event: The Winter's Tale and A Midsummer Night's Dream, both staged by Artistic Director Edward Hall and performed in repertory by a single company of 14 actors, a first-ever in CST's history. The winter will feature Romeo y Julieta, a bilingual English and Spanish adaptation of Romeo and Juliet directed by Henry Godinez; and the return of the Tony Award-winning smash hit Illinoise, based on the Sufjan Stevens album and directed and choreographed by Justin Peck, after a sold-out world premiere at CST in 2024. The season ends with the hilarious whodunnit Reunion in Bartersville directed by Jerry Dixon; and the world premiere of Heartbreakers, a high-voltage reimagining of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet told through the electrifying rock catalog of Grammy-winners Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo and with book and direction by Bradley Bredeweg. CST continues to deepen its commitment to the next generation of theatergoers through award-winning education programs, annually serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city.

"It is only fitting that this celebratory milestone season brings together the best of Shakespeare and the best of contemporary work," said Edward Hall, Artistic Director. "We've long believed that plays of the past can illuminate our present—and that the voices of today shine a light on how much we share with one another: past, present, and future. It is my joy to embrace our audiences with distinctly Chicago-style Shakespeare. This upcoming season is a tribute to the artistry, excellence, and ambition that has come to define Chicago Shakespeare Theater."

"From the moment that the first words 'O for a Muse of Fire...' were spoken on the roof of the Red Lion Pub in Barbara Gaines' debut production of Henry V, a destiny for Chicago Shakespeare Theater was born," shared Kimberly Motes, Executive Director. "Now forty years later, CST has grown beyond what anyone might have imagined—and the sky is the limit as we dream ahead to the Theater's next 40 years and beyond."

The 2026/2027 Season

Launching the season in The Yard is Play On! (September 11–October 18, 2026 | The Yard), a joyful musical retelling of Shakespeare's beloved comedy Twelfth Night set to the timeless jazz tunes of quintessential American composer Duke Ellington. Original creator Sheldon Epps returns to the three-time Tony-nominated musical with book by Cheryl L. West for the first time in 20 years to stage Shakespeare's story for a new generation. Aspiring songwriter Vy takes the A-Train to Harlem in the swinging 1930s with big dreams of a career in showbiz, only to find that it's a man's world. She disguises herself to reach the inner circle of renowned band leader, the Duke—but plans backfire when she catches the eye of Lady Liv, the star singer of the Cotton Club, and mistaken identities make way for romance. Music is indeed the food of love with big band pizzazz and Ellington's hit songs "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "I'm Beginning to the See the Light," and much more. Play On! is presented in association with MMaxwellMedia, WMK Productions, Alyssa Melani, and The Classical Theatre of Harlem.

"Over the last couple of years, Cheryl and I took a deep dive back into the book of the show," revealed director Sheldon Epps. "Our credo in all of this has been to enhance and heighten the celebration of Black Excellence, Black Brilliance, and Black JOY. The Excellence being the celebration of the artists who inspired these characters and the actual cast onstage; the Brilliance is that of Mr. Shakespeare and the Duke of Ellington; and the Joy is consistently the experience of the audience that we hope to achieve with each performance. In simple but very effective ways, we have and will continue to focus on the fact that the show is all about the search for LOVE, and removing the masks that we often wear that keep that hoped-for goal from entering our lives fully."

CST's 40^th Anniversary Season continues with an unforgettable theatrical event in the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater: for the first time in CST's history, two plays will be performed in repertory by one masterfully talented Chicago Shakespeare Company of actors. Under the creative leadership of CST Artistic Director Edward Hall and taking its inspiration from Shakespeare's own company and CST's roots as the Shakespeare Repertory, a company of 14 actors perform both The Winter's Tale and A Midsummer Night's Dream, two of Shakespeare's most beguiling fairy tales. This double header of productions makes for a thrilling theatrical experience, with two beautiful plays exploring the formidable power of love, laughter, and forgiveness. Audiences will have the unique opportunity to experience both repertory productions in one day on November 21 & 24 and December 5 & 12.

"Bringing these two plays together with one group of actors is a genuinely exciting prospect," said Artistic Director Edward Hall. "Audiences will have the rare opportunity of seeing performers switch into completely different roles from one play to another celebrating Chicago's huge well of creative talent. This Chicago Shakespeare Company will have it all: laughter, drama, magic, forgiveness, and love. An unforgettable journey through magic forests and wild seacoasts, with fairies, oracles, bears, kings, and queens. Everything that a good adventure can bring you and all from the safety of your seat!"

The repertory series begins with Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale (October 13–December 12, 2026 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater). Once upon a time in a land called Sicilia, King Leontes is infected by an uncontrollable jealousy over his pregnant wife Hermione. Shakespeare's timeless romance takes us on a fairy tale adventure from the drama of Sicilia to the color and music of Bohemia. Shipwrecks, bears, and magic oracles dance across the stage in this story of betrayal, forgiveness, reunion, and reconciliation. Hope and forgiveness sit at the heart of Shakespeare's most magical of fairy stories with an unforgettable ending driven by the power of redemption.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (November 11, 2026–January 3, 2027 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater) sparkles with the festive spirit of the holiday season. Shakespeare's magical romantic comedy is a delectable treat for the entire family. A snowy Athens gives way to the warm and colorful dream of a midsummer forest as Shakespeare's best-loved characters are consumed by the absurd chaos of love and the joy of friendship. Young love collides with a fairy feud and an enthusiastic group of amateur theatricals in the most warm-hearted play in the English language. An enchanting story of love, marriage, and magic, this holiday Dream will fill you with happiness and hope.

Next in the Courtyard, Henry Godinez directs Romeo y Julieta (January 26–March 14, 2027 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater). Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed young lovers from feuding families is transported to Miami in the early 1960s, as an influx of Cuban exiles find their dreams of returning to their homeland at odds with the reality of their new home. As conflict escalates between the Montescos and the Capuletas, the young couple defy the enmity between their families and the prejudices of their community—only to discover that love is the true universal language. This dynamic 90-minute bilingual adaptation from Karen Zacarías and Godinez is performed in both English and Spanish with projected translation. A Havana native, Godinez is a co-founder of Teatro Vista and the Sabl Resident Director at Goodman Theatre, where he most recently directed Inherit the Wind, Fannie, and American Mariachi. He returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where he first appeared thirty-seven years ago in Barbara Gaines' Cymbeline in 1989, and went on to perform in ten productions as well as to direct 2022's highly acclaimed Measure for Measure.

Director Henry Godinez shared, "My favorite old t-shirt, which I've proudly worn to tatters, is from NYC's Shakespeare in the Park with the words 'SHAKESPEARE PARA TODOS' emblazoned on the front. I'm sure at some point I wore that shirt to Chicago Shakespeare Theater 18 years ago when Karen Zacarías and I were first developing this bilingual adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Now, at a time when the Latiné community of Chicago has been horribly villainized and persecuted, made to feel like this country was not our home, the opportunity to present this Romeo y Julieta at one of the great cultural institutions in the heart of our city is a tremendous source of pride and validation. It shows the universality of the greatest writer—and perhaps the greatest story ever written—in the English language. It proves, like my tattered t-shirt says, that 'SHAKESPEARE IS FOR EVERYONE!'"

The Tony Award-winning phenomenon Illinoise (February 9–March 14, 2027 | The Yard) returns to where it all began. Based on Sufjan Stevens' landmark album Illinois, this "mysterious, deeply moving and unforgettable dance-musical" (The New York Times) is directed and choreographed by Tony winner Justin Peck (New York City Ballet, Steven Spielberg's West Side Story). Peck partners with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury to tell a hauntingly beautiful original story through live music, dance, and theater. After a sold-out world-premiere at Chicago Shakespeare in 2024, Illinoise took Broadway by storm. Now, it returns to its spiritual home at CST.

Director Justin Peck shared, "It is incredibly meaningful to bring Illinoise back as part of CST's 40^th Anniversary Season. This show has always been about memory, senses, and the quiet poetry of human connection—ideas that feel deeply aligned with a theater reflecting on its own legacy. At the same time, returning to CST with Illinoise feels less like a revisit and more like a continuation shaped by the artists, audiences, and spirit that make Chicago such a vital creative home. The icing-on-the-cake will be hearing Sufjan Stevens' hit song 'Chicago' ring out within the very city that inspired it."

Next in The Yard is the hilarious whodunnit Reunion in Bartersville (April 11–May 9, 2027 | The Yard). The surviving members of the Bartersville High class of 1933 gather in their small Texas hometown to celebrate their 50^th reunion. Over punch bowls and sandwich platters, a decades-old murder case is thrown wide open when the septuagenarians are confronted by a ghost from their past and they must all face their own scandalous secrets. This irreverent comedy will have audiences dying of laughter. Written by award-winning playwright Celeste Bedford Walker, this quick-witted comedy first premiered at the Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn in 1987. Now, it finds new life in Chicago, celebrating its 40^th anniversary alongside CST, directed by Jerry Dixon. Reunion in Bartersville is presented in association with LaChanze Productions, led by Tony Award winner LaChanze who returns to CST after co-producing the acclaimed Jaja's African Hair Braiding in 2025.

"Reunion in Bartersville is the reason I'm a producer today," said LaChanze. "This play is full of truth and humor that keeps you guessing in the traditional style of a murder mystery. My mission is to produce stories that will expand our theatrical appetite, and this play as the inaugural production at LaChanze Productions is setting the bar."

Rounding out the season is a new musical powered by the music of four-time Grammy Award winners and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. Heartbreakers (May 4–June 6, 2027 | Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio) drops Romeo and Juliet into a sweaty, neon-lit underground—reimagining the iconic love story as a high-voltage collision of love, rivalry, and identity that feels dangerous, immediate, and alive. Featuring an electrifying catalog of rock anthems including "Love Is a Battlefield," "We Belong," "Shadows of the Night," "Promises in the Dark," "Heartbreaker," "Invincible," and "We Live for Love," alongside new original songs written for the production by Benatar and Giraldo, the show fuses Shakespeare's timeless romance with a pulse-driving theatrical experience where desire takes over, loyalties fracture, and love is a contact sport. The Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio transforms into an immersive in-the-round space that is part dance floor, part theatrical playground. Married collaborators for over four decades, Benatar and Giraldo have defined a generation of music with multiple multi-platinum albums, 19 Top 40 hits, and more than 40 million records sold worldwide. Bradley Bredeweg, best known for creating the critically acclaimed Television Academy Award-winning drama The Fosters, writes the book and directs. Heartbreakers is presented in association with Madison Wells Live.

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo shared, "It is an immense honor to share this new musical with audiences as part of CST's milestone 40^th Anniversary Season. We were inspired by the epic stakes of Shakespeare's story. It truly has the heart and soul of rock music at its core. As artists, it is incredibly rewarding to discover new voice and meaning in this music that means so much to us and to create something completely new. We can't wait for Chicago audiences to rock out and join us on this wild ride."

CST Education and Lifelong Learning

Engaging audiences of all ages with the highest caliber of programming is central to the Theater's mission. CST is proud to serve more students and teachers than any theater in Chicago. In the 2026/27 Season, CST will welcome more than 15,000 young people to 29 dedicated student matinee performances with subsidized ticket prices, post-show discussions with artists, and supplemental curriculum materials for teachers to incorporate in the classroom. Student matinees are scheduled for Play On! and A Midsummer Night's Dream with an extended run of student performances planned for the 90-minute Romeo y Julieta. The 40^th Anniversary Season will also see the return of the celebrated Chicago Shakespeare SLAM program for high school students.

Initiatives for lifelong learners include adult programs like the four-part "Demystifying Shakespeare" course with CST Artistic Director Edward Hall in partnership with the Newberry Library, Backstage Tours, Post-Show Discussions, and PreAmble talks with scholars. The $30 Under 30 program makes CST productions accessible with discounted tickets to students and young adults.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 40^th Anniversary Season subscriptions are on sale now starting as low as $317 for a 7-play package. Subscribers save up to 25% on the season and receive other benefits including discounts on individual tickets, free exchanges, invitations to behind-the-scenes events, and more. Single tickets will go on sale later this summer. For more information and to purchase subscriptions, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/subscribe or call the CST Box Office at 312.595.5600.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the nation's largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare. Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes, the Regional Tony Award recipient is committed to creating vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million people experience CST's artistry through hundreds of performances and events each year.

CST exemplifies theatrical excellence. Shakespeare is at the heart of the artistic work, illuminating the 400-year-old playwright as a modern writer for our modern world. CST also produces compelling, contemporary stories from fresh artistic voices of today. CST brings the world to Chicago and sends Chicago out into the world as Chicago's foremost presenter of international theater, and consistent producer of North American and world premieres. Productions originating from Chicago Shakespeare have gone on to Broadway, national and international tours, garnering three Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, and two Grammy nominations.

The Theater fosters a lifelong relationship with the arts by providing transformational experiences for multigenerational audiences. Serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city, CST annually welcomes more than 20,000 high school and middle schoolers to attend 50+ daytime matinee performances and participate in after-school programs like Chicago Shakespeare SLAM. Professional development opportunities for teachers include the year-long Bard Core intensive for Chicago Public Schools educators. CST's initiatives support the development of young people's crucial skills, including social-emotional competencies, critical literacy, and meaningful collaboration. Learners of all ages deepen their engagement through PreAmble talks and post-show discussions. The $30 under 30 discounted ticket program for young adults and students reduces barriers to participation for thousands of first-time attendees.

CST activates its campus with three best-in-class venues: The Yard, a robust 700-seat space with flexible configurations and expansive proscenium; the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, an intimate 500-seat thrust theater where the audience surrounds the stage on three sides; and the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio, a 200-seat black box theater. Situated along the picturesque shore of Lake Michigan, CST is the cultural anchor of the iconic Navy Pier, one of the top Midwest tourism destinations attracting 9 million visitors annually.

Fueled by the vitality of the city of Chicago, CST contributes significantly to the vibrancy and economic impact of the arts and culture ecosystem. CST's reach extends beyond the theater's walls with free programs like Shakes in the City, which brings performances and workshops to parks, festivals, and shared community spaces across Chicago's 77 neighborhoods.

For four decades, CST has distinguished itself with a spirit of innovation, dynamism, and ambitious vision. Shared humanity and unforgettable stories—now THIS is Chicago Shakespeare. chicagoshakes.com

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 40th Anniversary Season

MUSIC IS THE FOOD OF LOVE IN MAJOR MUSICAL REVIVAL

PLAY ON!

Inspired by Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
Conceived by Sheldon Epps
Book by Cheryl L. West
Music by Duke Ellington
Directed by Sheldon Epps

The Yard
September 11–October 18, 2026

Presented in association with MMaxwellMedia, WMK Productions, Alyssa Melani, and The Classical Theatre of Harlem

EPIC FAIRY TALE ADVENTURE WITH A MESSAGE OF HOPE

THE WINTER'S TALE

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Edward Hall

The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
October 13–December 12, 2026

SPARKLING WITH THE FESTIVE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Edward Hall

The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
November 11, 2026–January 3, 2027

SHAKESPEARE'S PASSIONATE ROMANCE TRANSPORTED TO 1960S MIAMI

ROMEO Y JULIETA

By William Shakespeare
Adapted by Karen Zacarías and Henry Godinez
Directed by Henry Godinez

The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
January 26–March 14, 2027

TONY WINNING PHENOMENON RETURNS TO SPIRITUAL HOME AT CST

ILLINOISE

Music and Lyrics by Sufjan Stevens
Based on the album Illinois
Story by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury
Directed and Choreographed by Justin Peck

The Yard
February 9–March 14, 2027

A HILARIOUS WHODUNNIT MAKES CHICAGO PREMIERE

REUNION IN BARTERSVILLE

By Celeste Bedford Walker
Directed by Jerry Dixon

The Yard
April 11–May 9, 2027

Presented in association with LaChanze Productions

ELECTRIFYING NEW ROCK MUSICAL FROM LEGENDS
PAT BENATAR AND NEIL GIRALDO

HEARTBREAKERS

Inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Reimagined through the Music of Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo
Book by Bradley Bredeweg
Directed by Bradley Bredeweg

Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio
May 4–June 6, 2027

Presented in association with Madison Wells Live

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Friday, 15 May 2026 12:21

Chicago Dance Crash presents expo/sd — a genre-bending, world-premiere repertory performance!

Chicago Dance Crash ensemble in LXIV: (six.four).

On July 24th and 25th at 7:00 pm, Chicago Dance Crash will present expo/sd, a world premiere concert at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Curated by Artistic Director KC Bevis, the evening features new works choreographed by Annie Franklin, Cameron McKinney, and Crash resident choreographer Elijah Motley.

expo/sd

Friday and Saturday, July 24-25th at 7:00 pm
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts
1016 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Tickets: $25 for adults / $15 for children 12 and under

Tickets available at ChicagoDanceCrash.com
Questions or requests? Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The upcoming concert will feature a world premiere by choreographer Annie Franklin that investigates how traditional street and contemporary dance forms can exist in conversation with one another while pushing dancers to embrace the visceral, the intimate, and the imperfect in performance—work that is unsettling, raw, and emotionally charged rather than conventionally beautiful. Rooted in themes of voyeurism and intimacy, the piece will ask what it means for audiences to witness moments they are "not supposed" to see, reflecting the deeply personal practice of freestyle movement and the vulnerability of exploration. Performed to an original score by local music producer e j e c t, this work was made possible by the support of the Chicago Cultural Center and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Also featured in the concert will be a new repertory work, "A 4 Bar Loop", by choreographer and Crash alum Elijah Motley. This dynamic piece explores identity, drawing from Motley's personal experience as a Black man raised in the South. Growing up surrounded by reminders of the Jim Crow era and stories of racial discrimination shared by his grandparents, Motley reflects on the tangible progress made in civil rights, its regressions, and ultimately asks: "Are we any different now?"

Choreographer Cameron McKinney will also premiere a new duet - "Fall From Grace." Rooted in hyperphysicality, McKinney explores how the body can be pushed to (and beyond) its limits, and how that physical threshold becomes a gateway to raw honesty. This work operates in a space of "meditative exhaustion": a state where the energy we normally spend maintaining our facades is stripped away, leaving only the truth of self in the moment.

Seating will be very limited for this weekend-only showing and, as with all freestyle-driven productions, both performances will be entirely different. Join Chicago Dance Crash in July as we celebrate three world-premiere works in expo/sd.

About Chicago Dance Crash
A multidisciplinary dance company existing within the intersection of street dance, concert dance, and physical theater, Crash's fusion-style works and performing ensemble embodies our dedication to being an accessible and innovative dance company, creating intensely physical, authentic, and narrative-driven art. Crash burst onto the scene in its first season with a new and innovative movement play concept and has grown to receive critical acclaim throughout its 24 years of groundbreaking dance.

Learn more at www.ChicagoDanceCrash.com + join the conversation on Facebook and YouTube (Chicago Dance Crash), Instagram @chicagodancecrash

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